Method and apparatus for securing the end or tail of a textile strand to a wound package

ABSTRACT

A textile thread, yarn or other textile strand material is guided to a rotatable carrier through the eye of a traversing needle or similarly pointed thread guide to form a wound package and, upon completion of the package, the needle is thrust momentarily through outer layers of the thread on the package, carrying the thread in the needle with it, to loop the thread between such outer thread layers. As the needle is retracted and thus withdrawn from the package, the loop of the thread remains tucked between the outer layers of the package. The package is then doffed, the thread is parted between the needle and the package, an empty carrier is positioned on the winder spindle, and winding of a new package is initiated.

2,163,578 6/1939 Baker et 242/355 FOREIGN PATENTS 421,819 1/1911 242/41 9,357 1902 Great 28/21 190,417 10/1907 242/41 Primary Examiner-Stemlcy N. Gilreath Altorney- Parrott, Bell, Seltzer, Park & Gibson Inventor Ardlflle 0. Bourqne Appi. No. [22] Filed July 27, 1971 American & Elird Thread Mills, Inc. Mt. Holy, N.C.

END 0R TAIL OF A TEXTILE STRAND TO A WOUND PACKAGE United States Patent [451 Patented [73] Assignce [54] METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SECURING THE daaeehee dhk mdm w mmmw eo wd me em a g 1 w Bk 6 a 0 38 C o me k a "me eflc m0. e kmw flmmmww f. 6]. 6 rmbwe md e m n t-lmm m wmmw rim e fiew n o wnw mm d muw n m a o womi mfm f w d-mnh 0. m wflkm m mv w nwm W m we t.$ k m e -G mmwwmwmmw m .eafiummwdmkdw. o d new m m m P w m d md mh fla mame.m mwwam mmw mw 0-" ea m u u mmmm wmm mm mwkmmmm nmmhm komwm mw m m muwmmn mmmu ,P 0 4 R 2 9 SNNWAUN HHM58 3 23 hfln MZMSZIW 64 m 6E m S n 2 W Q m n m m N Mn" 2 E Mn Mum T m m ms mm m3 m m mMm 3 mm 13 x. Mum 3, M Mw m m m 4 n m m m mm E mflm m 8 "2 m Wu m u u 1 C a o w s a w l u I F 2 H.101 0 U 5 U 1 initiated.

TH READ Scum-,1":

PATENTED JUL27|97| 3595491 I saw 1 OF 4 THEE-Ab SOURCE- Z5 BEN E- MEcHANisM 92 9O INVENTORI ARSOURCE I05 8 ARQWLLEO. BOURQUE.

ATTORNEYS PATENTEU JUL27 um SHEET 3 BF 4 INVENTOR. EQUE- ATTORNEYS PATENTEDJULZTIS?! 3.595491 SHEET [1F 4 r INVENTOR. AEcmLLE: O. Bomzque ATTORNEY-5 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SECURING THE END OR TAIL OF A TEXTILE STRAND TO A WOUND PACKAGE In the preparation of thread or yarn packages so that they will not become unwound unintentionally during 'normal handling, it is desirable to secure the trailing end or tail of the thread to the package or its carrier. It is impractical or undesirable to secure the thread tails to the carriers of certain types of thread packages, especially wherein the carriers are in the form of paper or plastic tubes or are otherwise devoid of end flanges thereon. It is the usual practice, therefore, to secure the trailing end of the thread wound on flangeless carriers by tucking the thread end between adjacent outer layers or turns of thread on the package.

The usual method of tucking the thread tail between outer thread layers of a wound package is by manual use of a latch needle of the type used in many circular knitting machines, and wherein the needle is thrust through outer layers of the package by hand, the thread tail is looped through the hook of the needle, and then the operator withdraws the needle from the package, and then from the thread tail, to leave the same tucked between adjacent thread layers of the package. Apparatus for performing such tucking operation automatically on a winding machine is disclosed in a German U.S. Pat. No. 399,798, dated July 29, 1924, wherein a curved tucking needle with an open-sided eye is inserted through outer turns of the thread on the package, the thread then is guided into the needle, and then the needle is withdrawn to tuck a portionof the thread between the outer layers of thread on the package. The hand method of performing the tucking operation as heretofore described is not only time consuming, but it is impractical for use with automatic winders provided with means for automatically doffing and donning the thread carriers. Also, the method and apparatus disclosed in the aforementioned German patent, and similar methods, have been unsatisfactory and have not been put into commercial use, to my knowledge, because of difficulties encountered in positioning the thread in the eye of the tucking needle; e.g., because of frequent failures of the thread to be properly guided into the eye of the tucking needle.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved method and apparatus for tucking and firmly securing the tail of the thread or yarn of a wound package in the package in such a manner as to overcome the disadvantages of known prior art apparatuses and methods such as those described above.

The method according to the instant invention comprises guiding a thread or yarn strand from a source through the eye of a needle or other elongate pointed thread guide to a rotating support while traversing the needle parallel to the support to form a wound package thereon, stopping rotation of the support and the package when the package has reached a predetermined diameter, then imparting a longitudinal forward thrust to the needle while causing the pointed end of the needle, its eye, and the thread extending through the eye to penetrate the package and project through outer thread layers of the package, then withdrawing the needle from the package while leaving a loop of the thread tucked firmly between adjacent layers of the thread on the package, and then parting the thread adjacent the needle.

The apparatus according to the invention comprises a rotatable package support, and a traversing thread guiding means including a needle or other pointed thread guide having an eye therethrough through which thread passes from a source to the support during the winding of a thread package on the support. Means are provided responsive to the building of the package to a predetermined diameter, for stopping rotation of the support and the package thereon and then imparting a longitudinal forward thrust to the needle toward and into the package between adjacent outer layers of the thread on the package, and then for retracting the needle from the package. The path and range of movement of the needle during its longitudinal thrust and subsequent retraction are such as to leave a loop of the thread extending from the needle tucked between the adjacent outer thread layers of the package so that, upon subsequent parting of the thread ad- 5 jacent the needle, the thus formed thread tail is firmly secured to the body of the package.

An important feature facilitating the tucking of the thread between adjacent layers of the package resides in the fact that the needle is provided with a longitudinally extending groove in its surface facing oppositely from the direction of travel of the thread through the needle and extending rearwardly from the eye of the needle. Such groove accommodates the thread therein and substantially shields the thread from the outer thread layers of the package as the tucking operation is being performed so that the thread moves readily along the groove during insertion of the needle into the package, and so that the needle will readily move relative to the thread during retrac tion of the needle, thereby preventing the needle from pulling the tucked loop of thread, then clamped between the outer thread layers of the package, back out of the package.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an illustrative embodiment of the-thread guiding and tucking apparatus of this invention applied to a conventional winding machine;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged outer end elevation of the thread guiding and tucking apparatus as positioned relative to a completely wound thread package prior to doffing the same;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevation looking at the right-hand side of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 2 showing the pointed end of the thread guide thrust through an outer portion of the thread package;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, but showing the thread guide occupying a withdrawn position after having had its pointed end thrust through the package as in FIG. 4, and showing the loop of thread tucked firmly between outer thread layers of the package;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view through the needle embodying the pointed thread guide of this invention;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged transverse sectional view through the thread guiding needle taken substantially along line 7-7 in FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIGS. 2, 4 and 5 showing the filled package after being doffed, with clamping and cutting means located between the thread guide and the doffed package.

The apparatus for carrying out the method of this invention is capable of adaptation to many different types of winding machines, but which are of the general type including one or more thread guides and an associated rotatable support for supporting thread carriers thereon, and wherein relative traversing movement is effected between the thread guide or guides and the rotatable support during winding of thread on the support. Exemplary winding machines of this general type are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,328,196; 2,449,328; 2,763,443; and 3,216,667. For illustrative purposes, however, the apparatus of this invention is shown in association with the automatic-winding mechanism of a winding machine of the type shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,676,763, issued Apr. 27, 1954 to H. T. ONeill, Jr., and in which thread usually is wound onto carriers which are in the form of paper or plastic tubes. Since such winders are well known, only so much of the winder will be described as is necessary so that the invention is clearly understood. However, the disclosure of the aforementioned O- Neill, Jr., patent is incorporated herein by reference.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, many of the operating components of a winder are shown schematically in FIG. 1, wherein tubular package carriers 10 are directed, one at a time, from a suitable supply, not shown, to a substantially horizontal rotatable support or spindle which may comprise two aligned relatively axially movable and rotatable spindle shafts 11, 12. conventionally, and as disclosed in said U.S. Pat. No. 2,676,763, spindle shaft 11 is an idler shaft and spindle shaft 12 is a driven shaft. Spindle shaft 11 is retracted away from shaft 12 sufficiently to release the carrier between it and the driven spindle shaft 12 and to permit the carrier to fall into a suitable container C therebeneath in the doffing of each filled wound package P. Shaft 12 is rotatably supported in a casing 13.

Upon an empty carrier subsequently being positioned between shafts l1, l2, idler spindle shaft 1 1 is extended to engage and move the carrier against the other spindle shaft 12. Thereupon, a suitable drive mechanism 14 (FIG. 1) imparts rotation to driven spindle shaft 12 and thus to the active carrier and idler spindle shaft 11 to initiate a winding operation. Drive mechanism 14 also is operatively connected to a traversing means which may include a helical traverse cam 15 rotatable in casing 13, and which is engaged by a follower 16a on a traversing shaft 16 for imparting reciprocatory traversing movement thereto in timed relation to rotation of carrier 14 and its package P. Since the operation of shafts 11, 12 and 16 and the means for efiecting such operation are well known, a further detailed illustration and description thereof is deemed unnecessary.

According to the invention, novel means are provided for guiding the thread, yarn or other textile strand material T, hereinafter referred to as thread, to the active carrier 10 and the package P being formed and for automatically securing the thread to the package, upon a predetermined amount of thread being wound on the package, by tucking an external portion of the thread between superficial layers of thread on the package prior to each doffing operation. In its preferred embodiment, the novel thread guiding means comprises an elongate, pointed thread guide or needle 20 having an aperture or eye 21 therethrough closely adjacent, but spaced rearwardly from, the free forward tip of the needle, as best shown in FIG. 6. The eye 21 is completely surrounded by the metal of which the needle 20 is made; i.e., the wall of the eye is continuous.

Needle 20 should be sufficiently sharp and of such size that it will readily penetrate the peripheral portion of the thread package P without rupturing the thread in the package as the needle is thrust into the package between adjacent outer thread layers thereon in efiecting a tucking operation, as will be later described. Also, needle 20 is provided with a longitudinally extending trough or groove 22 (FIGS. 6 and 7) in its upper surface; that is, in its surface which faces toward the direction opposite from that direction in which the thread T travels in its course from a suitable source 23 (FIG. 1) through the eye 21 to the package P. The width and depth of groove 22 in needle 20 should be such as to loosely accommodate a length of the thread therewithin so that the thread is free to travel along the groove without being clamped against the needle by an adjacent layer or layers of thread during insertion and withdrawal of the needle relative to the package P.

Suitable tensioning means 25 (FIG. 1) is provided between thread source 23 and thread guiding needle 20 for maintaining the thread under normal tension during the winding operation, and which is operable to relieve tension in the thread during the tucking and dofflng operations. Such tensioning means 25 may include a pair of tension discs 25a of well known type such as are disclosed in FIGS. 5 and 6 of U.S. Pat. No. 1,853,020, dated Apr. 5, 1932. The discs 250 are adjusted for the desired tension by a spring 25b and a nut 25c. A suitable automatic tension-relieving means or wedge 26, normally spaced from discs 25a, is moved between discs 25a to separate the same and then thereby relieve tension in the thread Tduring each tucking operation, as will be later described.

Means are provided for supporting, traversing and imparting longitudinal motion to thread guiding needle 20, and comprises a thread guide bracket broadly designated at and pivotally supported on traversing shaft 16. As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 4, 5 and 8, bracket 30 includes an upper elongate body 31 which may be made from metal, plastic or any suitable material, and which extends traversely with respect to traversing shaft 16, and in which needle 20 is mounted for longitudinal movement. The body 31 of bracket 30 has a longitu dinally extending passage or cavity 32 therein which is open along one side thereof, but which terminates short of the forward end of body 31, with the front wall of the body 31 being slidably penetrated by needle 20. The shank or outer end portion of needle 20 is fixed in a guide block 33 mounted for longitudinal sliding movement in cavity 20, and whose outer-portion is provided with an outwardly projecting stud or follower 35 which engages with a slot 36 in the upper portion of an actuator or rocker arm 37 also pivotally supported on traversing shaft 16.

An arm 40, which is preferably integral with the body 31 of bracket 30, extends downwardly from adjacent the front end of body 31 and has a hub 41 thereon (FIG. 3) which surrounds traversing shaft 16. In order to pivotally mount bracket 30 and rocker arm 37 on traversing shaft 16, and also to provide means for accurately adjusting the position of needle 20 relative to the package being wound, such as to ensure that needle 20 enters the package P at the desired position adjacent the peripheral surface of the package during the tucking operation, the hub 41 of bracket 30 and a hub 42 of rocker arm 37 are mounted on an eccentric sleeve 44 loosely penetrated by traversing shaft 16. It should be noted that the axis of traversing shaft 16 is offset relative to the axis of eccentric sleeve 44.

The hub 41 of thread guide bracket 30 is adjustably secured on sleeve 41, as by a setscrew 45, and the hub 42 of rocker arm 37 is freely pivotal on sleeve 44. In the particular type of winding machine embodied herein, since shaft 16 serves to pivotally support thread guide bracket 30 as well as serving to impart reciprocatory traversing motion thereto, restraining collars 46, 47 are suitably secured on traversing shaft 16 in sliding engagement with opposite ends of eccentric sleeve 44 to prevent relative axial movement between bracket 30 and rocker arm 37 during reciprocation of traversing shaft 16. However, it is to be understood that the traversing means may include a separate shaft from that on which bracket 30 and rocker arm 37 are mounted for imparting reciprocatory traversing motion thereto, as is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,763,443, for example. In such event, it is apparent that sleeve 44 may be free to slide along its supporting shaft.

Hub 41 serves to space rocker arm 37 from the arm 40 of thread guide bracket 30, and proximal surfaces of these arms are provided with respective abutments 50, 51 (FIGS. 2, 4 and 5) thereon which engage opposite ends of a compression spring 52 therebetween. Spring 52 normally urges or biases rocker arm 37 rearwardly relative to bracket 30 against an adjustment screw or stop carried by an outwardly projecting rear portion or cover 53 of body 31. When rocker arm 37 occupies the latter position, a relatively short forward portion of needle 20 extends forwardly of body 31 at least sufficiently to expose the eye 21 thereof while preventing the pointed end of needle 20 from engaging the periphery of the package P being wound and so as to guide the thread Tonto the package P.

A suitable wear-resistant nose member 54, preferably made from a ceramic material, may be provided on the forward end of the body 31 of bracket 30 and below needle 20 for engagement with the periphery of the package P during the winding thereof. In this regard, it should be noted that the major portion of the weight of bracket 30 is disposed forwardly of the vertical plane of shaft 16 so as to overbalance bracket 30 and rocker arm 37 in a forward direction thus result in the wear resistant nose member 54 resting against the periphery of the package P throughout the winding thereof. A suitable limiting rod or abutment 55 may be provided forwardly of thread guide bracket 30 to limit its downward movement, if necessary, during the doffing of filled package carriers and donning of empty package carriers.

Conventional or other suitable means may be provided for automatically stopping traversal of needle 20 parallel to thread package P and for stopping rotation of spindle shafts ll, 12 and package P upon a predetermined amountofthread 7' being wound on the then active carrier 10. As a representative embodiment of such means, there is shown schematically in FIG. 1 a clutch 14a, which may be of the electromagnetic type. Clutch 14a is connected to a source of electrical energy 60 through a manually operable master switch 61 and a normally closed drive control switch 62 to cause drive mechanism 14 to drive spindle shaft 12 and traverse cam 15 during the winding of thread on the active carrier 10.

A measuring means 63, which may be in the form of an automatically or manually resetable yardage counter, is operatively associated with drive mechanism 14. Thus, upon a predetermined amount or length of thread being wound on the active carrier 10, a lobe or projection on a drive control cam 63a, operated by counted 63, will engage and open drive control switch 62 to break the circuit to clutch 14a and thereby interrupt the drive connection from drive mechanism 14 to driven spindle shaft 12 and to traverse cam 15, thus stopping the winding operation. A manual override switch 64, in parallel circuit with drive control switch 62, may be closed for manual control of clutch 140 when desired.

Suitable means are provided for imparting a longitudinal reciprocation to needle and for relieving tension in thread T upon a predetermined amount of thread being wound on carrier 10 and following cessation of rotation of thread package P to effect a thread tucking operation. In FIG. 1, a representative embodiment of needle operating means comprises an activator broadly designated at 66 and including an elongate bar 67 disposed closely adjacent and rearwardly of rocker arm 37. Bar 67 extends substantially parallel with traversing shaft 16 and is of such length that when bar 67 is moved forwardly, it will engage and impart forward movement to rocker arm 37 and thereby impart corresponding forward movement to needle 20 regardless of the position that the bracket 30 and arm 37 may occupy upon completion of the winding of the package P. Such movement of bar 67 is cf fected upon the rotation of the package P and the traversal of thread guide bracket 30 and rocker arm 37 being terminated.

Activator bar 67 is carried by a lever 70 pivotally mounted, as at 71, on a stationary part of the winder. Suitable means are provided for moving bar 67 forwardly to engage and impart a forward stroke to arm 37. It is important to note that thread guide bracket 30 not only maintains needle 20 in an attitude substantially perpendicular to the axis of the rotatable support embodied in spindle shafts l1, 12 but it also is operable to align needle 20 in substantially tangential relationship to the periphery of thread package P upon a predetermined amount of thread being wound on the package. Thread guide bracket 30 is arranged to guide the point of needle 20, during longitudinal reciprocation thereof, along a chord line of the package closely adjacent the periphery of the package, but located closer to the axis of the package than that of the periphery of the package. Such alignment of needle 20 may be readily established in accordance with the diameter of the filled thread package to be wound by loosening setscrew 45 (FIGS. 2 and 3) and manually angularly adjusting thread guide bracket 30 about and relative to eccentric sleeve 44, and then tightening setscrew 45, it being noted that such adjusting will raise and lower the needle 20 relative to package P and will also change the angular position of needle 20 relative to package P.

It can be seen that the position of thread guiding needle 20 relative to the filled or completely wound package P, and the extent of the forward stroke of actuator bar 67, are such that the point of needle 20 and its eye 21 move in a substantially tangential path with respect to the completely wound package P and between adjacent outer layers of thread thereon, with the point and eye 21 of the needle being thrust through and beyond the corresponding layers. ln so doing, the eye of needle 20 moves relative to the thread as it pulls the then untensioned thread from the source in the form of a loop. The thread, at its point of ingress 72 into package P, lays in the groove 22 of needle 20 so that the thread is not unduly ten sioned as it is being drawn through the passage or tunnel being formed by the needle 20 between adjacent layers of thread on package P during ingress of the needle through package P. The eye 21 of needle 20 is thrust beyond the pierced portion of package P sufficiently to expose a substantial bight 73 of the thread loop beyond the pierced portion of package P, as shown in FIG. 4. Thereupon, actuator bar 67 moves rearwardly, permitting spring 52 to return rocker arm 37 rearwardly, thereby to retract and entirely withdraw needle 20 from package P, as shown in FIG. 5. Since the groove 22 in needle 20 prevents excessive binding of the thread against needle 20, the needle readily moves rearwardly relative to the looped portion of the thread, and the thread loop is progressively clamped between adjacent layers of thread previously wound on the package, as the needle withdraws from the package, thus leaving a tucked loop of thread firmly secured in the package.

Any suitable means may be provided for parting the thread adjacent needle 20 following each tucking operation. A representative embodiment of suitable thread parting means will be later described.

The means for imparting movement to activator 66 may comprise a fluid-operated ram broadly designated at and including a cylinder 81 having a piston 82 therein which is urged in a forward direction by a suitable spring 83. Piston 82 carries a piston rod 84 whose forward portion is pivotally connected, as at 85, to a lower portion of lever 70. A conduit 86 connects the front end of cylinder 81 to one side of a suitable electrically operable four-way valve 87 whose core 90 normally is biased to a first position by a suitable spring 91, and whose core may be moved to a second or active position as by means of a solenoid 92. One side of solenoid 92 is connected to the source of electrical energy 60 through master switch 61, and the other side of solenoid 92 is connected to one side of a normally closed needle-retracting switch 94 secured on the body 31 of thread guide bracket 30.

Switch 94 includes an actuating member 95 positioned forwardly of and in the path of arm 37 so that, as arm 37 moves forwardly, it engages actuating member 95 to change the state of switch 94 upon needle 20 being thrust the desired distance into the package P and to thereby break the circuit to solenoid 92. A s will be later described more in detail, upon switch 94 breaking the circuit to solenoid 92, spring 52 then returns nee dle 20 to the retracted or withdrawn position with respect to the package P.

ln series circuit with needle-retracting switch 94 and solenoid 92 is a thread guide control switch or needle control switch which is normally opened, but which, upon the opening of drive control switch 62 by the counter 63, is moved to closed position by means of a lobe or projection on a suitable cam 101, driven by counter 63. Thus, at the time that drive control switch 62 is opened to interrupt the drive to driven spindle shaft 12 and the traverse cam 15, switch 100 is closed. To ensure that package P has ceased rotation before needle 20 is thrust into the same, a suitable time-delay-relay 102 is inter posed in the electrical circuit between switch 100 and solenoid 92 so that, assuming that needle-retracting switch 94 is closed, solenoid 92 will be energized at a predetermined time following the deenergization of the clutch 14a of drive mechanism 14.

Upon energization of solenoid 92, the core 90 of valve 87 is positioned to direct fluid pressure from a suitable source 105 through conduit 86 into the front end of cylinder 8!. This causes piston 82 and piston rod 84 to move from left to right and thereby impart a forward stroke to activator bar 67 which, in turn, imparts forward thrust to needle 20 in the manner heretofore described.

Of course, upon subsequent opening of needle-rctracting switch 94 to deenergize solenoid 92, spring 91 returns core 90 to its first position and permits fluid to exhaust from cylinder 81 through conduit 86 and valve 87 as spring 83 returns activator bar 67 to the inactive or rearward position through intervening parts.

Following the usual doffing and donning operations, in which and empty carrier 10 replaces the completed package P, counter 63 may be reset manually or automatically, in a well-known manner, thus returning switch 100 to open position and returning switch 62 to closed position to initiate the winding of a succeeding package P. Needle-retracting switch 94 may be of a type which will close automatically upon switch 100 being returned to the closed position, or needle retracting switch 94 may be in the form of a toggle switch whose actuating member 95 may be returned to closed position manually after the thread guide control switch 100 is opened.

It is also to be noted that tension relieving means or wedge 26 is pivotally mounted on a fixed part of the winder, and has the armature or plunger of a solenoid 104 connected thereto. The coil of solenoid 104 may be in series circuit between timedelay-relay 102 and needle-retracting switch 94. Thus, solenoid 104 will be activated as each forward thrust of needle is initiated. Upon being activated, solenoid 104 will move wedge 26 between tension discs a to separate them and thereby to relieve the tension in the thread between the source 23 and thread guiding needle 20. Thus, the thread 'I and necdle 20 may move freely relative to each other during the reciprocal tucking operation of needle 20.

Upon needle 20 withdrawing from the thread package P and retracting switch 94 being opened, the plunger of solenoid is effective through suitable spring means, not shown, to withdraw wedge 26 from between tension discs 25a so that they will again apply tension to the thread upon its subsequent course from the source 23 to a new carrier 10 (FIG. 8) then positioned between and supported by spindle shafts 11, 12.

If desired a suitable delay means, not shown, may be provided to maintain energization of tension relieving solenoid 104 for a predetermined period of time following withdrawal of needle 20, so that, for example, the doffing of a filled package and donning of an empty carrier may be effected before discs 25a resume application of tension to thread 7. Such delay means need not be used in all instances however.

As heretofore stated, any suitable means may be provided for parting the thread adjacent needle 20 following each tucking operation. By way of illustration, there is shown schematically in FIG. 8 a thread clamping and cutting means broadly designated at 120 and spaced below the level of spindle shaft 12 and above the previously doffed package P now in container C. The thread clamping and cutting means may include vertically spaced upper and lower pairs of grippers of clamping jaws 121, 122 and 123, 124, with a pair of cutting blades 125, 126 spaced between the pairs of clamping jaws 121,122and 123,124.

During each doffing operation, in which the spindle shafts 11, 12 release a corresponding carrier 10 and a filled or completed thread package P from therebetween, as disclosed in said U.S. Pat. No. 2,676,763, as the package drops into container C, the thread extends from the ingress point 72 thereof at the corresponding doffed package P upwardly and through the eye of needle 20, thus leaving a length of the thread ex tending between the needle and the package in the path of the upper and lower pairs of clamping jaws. At this time, needle 20 may be adjacent one end of its traverse so that the thread also extends adjacent the outer end of driven spindle shaft 12. Clamping jaws 121, 122, 123, 124 may be operated by any suitable means so as to move into alignment with the latter length of thread and are then closed upon the thread to clamp the same therebetween.

Thereupon, suitable means, not shown, actuates the cutting blades 125, 126 to sever the thread between the clamping jaws. At least the upper clamping jaws 121, 122 continue to clamp the thread until a new empty carrier is properly located and held between the spindle shafts 11, 12. The thread then is retained against the end of the empty carrier by the head of the driven spindle shaft 12. At about thetime that the succeeding winding operation is initiated; i.e., at about the time that the new carrier 10 starts rotating, both the upper and lower clamping jaws release the thread therefrom so as to release the previously wound package and so that the thread from needle 20 will be wound about the new carrier 10 as it rotates in a clockwise direction in 1 108. 1 and 2. Any suitable means, not shown, may be provided for subsequently withdrawing the thread clamping and cutting means out of the vertical plane of a succeeding completed thread package so as not to obstruct the dropping of the succeeding completedthread package into container C. As is usual, any

packages which drop into container C may be manually or otherwise removed therefrom during the winding of a succeeding package on the spindle, represented by. the spindle shafts 11, 12 and the carrier 10 then positioned therebetween. It is apparent that, upon the thread being parted by the cutting blades 125, 126 at a point between the needle 20 and the doffed package P then in container C a thread tail is formed on the doffed package, a looped portion of which remains tucked between outer layers of thread on the package,

The clamping jaws 121, 122; 123, 124 and cutting blades 125, 126 may be constructed and operated substantially as disclosed in said U.S. Pat. No. 2,676,763, or if so desired, a combination thread clamping and cutting device of the type disclosed in Staffords U.S. Pat. No. 1,565,218, dated Dec. 8, I925, may be used. Accordingly, a detailed description of the clamping and cutting means, and the operating mechanism therefor, is deemed unnecessary.

in the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

1 claim:

1. A method of forming a thread package from which the thread will not become unwound unintentionally during normal handling of the package, said method comprising guiding a thread through the eye of a pointed thread guide to a carrier while rotating the carrier to wind a number oflayers of thread thereon to form a thread package, stopping rotation of the carrier, thrusting the pointed end of the thread guide and the thread carried thereby through a peripheral portion of the package to position a loop of the thread between outer thread layers of the wound package, and entirely withdrawing the pointed end of the thread guide from the package while leaving the loop of thread firmly tucked between the outer thread layers of the package.

2. A method according to claim 1, which includes, concurrently with the steps of thrusting the thread guide through the peripheral portion of the package, passing that portion of the thread being carried by the guide along a groove in that surface of the guide facing toward the direction from which the thread is moving in its course to the thread guide so that the thread will not be clamped and thereby restrained from movement by the outer thread layers on the package during the passage of the pointed end of the thread guide through the peripheral portion of the package.

3. A method according co claim 1, which includes maintaining the thread under predetermined tension in its course from a supply source through the guide during winding of the thread onto the carrier, and relieving the tension in the thread during the thrusting of the pointed end of the thread guide and the thread carried thereby through the peripheral portion of the package.

4. A method according to claim 1, further comprising parting the thread at a point between the thread guide and the package, following withdrawal of the thread guide from the package while leaving the thread extending through the thread guide to facilitate the winding of thread thereafter onto another carrier.

5. A method according to claim 1, which includes moving the thread package with the loop of thread tucked therein away from the thread guide while causing the moving thread package to pull a length of thread through the thread guide following the withdrawal of the pointed end of the thread guide from the package, then parting the thread at a point between the thread guide and the thus moved package, then positioning another carrier adjacent the thread guide while retaining the end of the thread then extending from the thread guide against one end of said other carrier, and then rotating said other carrier to wind a number of layers of thread thereon to form a succeeding thread package.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the steps of thrusting and withdrawing the pointed end of the thread guide include moving the thread guide forwardly toward and rearwardly away from the thread package in a path substantially tangentially of the periphery of the package.

7. A method of forming and tucking a loop of thread from a wound thread package between outer layers of thread on the package so that the thread will not become unwound unintentionally during normal handling of the package, said method comprising extending the thread from the package through the eye of a pointed elongate needle, then thrusting the pointed end of the needle and the thread carried thereby through a peripheral portion of the package to position a loop of the thread between outer thread layers of the wound package, and entirely withdrawing the pointed end of the necdle from the package while leaving the loop of thread firmly tucked between the outer thread layers of the package.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the needle is provided with a longitudinally extending groove therein extending rearwardly from the eye of the needle and away from the pointed end of the needle, the method further comprising positioning the needle so that its groove faces sway from the axis of the package before thrusting the pointed end of the needle through the peripheral portion of the package, and positioning the portion of the thread extending outwardly from the needle with respect to the package within the groove of the needle to shield the latter portion of the thread from the layers of thread as the pointed end of the needle is being thrust through and withdrawn from the thread package.

9. Apparatus for forming a thread package from which thread will not become unwound unintentionally during normal handling of the package; said apparatus comprising a rotatable support for supporting a carrier, drive means for rotating said support and said carrier supported thereby, a thread guide having a pointed forward end and positioned for guiding thread therethrough from a source onto said carrier to wind a number of layers of thread thereon forming a thread package, means associated with said drive means for stopping rotation of said support and said carrier upon a predetermined amount of thread being wound on said carrier, and means for successively thrusting the pointed end of said thread guide through a peripheral portion of the thread package and for entirely withdrawing the pointed end of said thread guide from the thread package, the strokes of and the path of said thread guide during the thrusting and withdrawing of the same being such as to position and leave a loop of the thread firmly tucked between outer thread layers of the package.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said thread guide is provided with an eye adjacent its pointed end for guiding the thread therethrough, said thread guide also having an elongate longitudinally extending groove in that surface of said guide facing away from the carrier and opposite from the direction of travel of the thread through said guide, said groove extending rearwardly from said eye of said guide, and the width and depth of said groove accommodating the thread therein while the pointed end of said guide is being thrust through and withdrawn from the package to prevent the thread from being clamped against said thread guide by the outer thread layers during movement of the pointed end of said guide between such outer thread layers.

ll. Apparatus according to claim 10, including tensioning means for applying tension to the thread between the source thereof and said thread guide during rotation of said support and the carrier, and means operatively associated with said means for thrusting and withdrawing said pointed end of said guide for relieving the thread from the tension applied by said tensioning means.

12. Apparatus according to claim 9, including means for parting the thread at a point between said thread guide and said package following withdrawal of the pointed end of said guide from said package.

13. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said thread guide comprises an elongate needle, means supporting said needle for longitudinal movement forwardly toward and rearwardly from said carrier and its package, traversing means for traversing said. needle supporting means substantially parallel to said rotatable support, said means for stopping rotation of said support including means for stopping said traversing means, and said means for thrusting and withdrawing the pointed end of said thread guide including means responsive to said predetermined amount of thread being wound on said carrier for imparting a reciprocatory forward and rearward motion to said needle.

14. Apparatus according to claim l3, wherein said needle supporting means comprises a bracket in which said needle is guided for longitudinal movement therein, said means for imparting a longitudinal reciprocatory motion to said needle including actuator means operatively associated with said needle and movable relative to said bracket, and said responsive means including means for imparting a reciproeatory motion to said actuator means and thereby to move said needle forwardly and rearwardly in succession relative to the package.

15. Apparatus according to claim 13, including a shaft positioned adjacent and extending substantially parallel with said rotatable support, said needle supporting means comprising a bracket pivotally mounted on said shaft and having abutment means thereon normally resting against the package being wound,.means mounting said needle for longitudinal movement relative to said bracket, an actuator member movably mounted adjacent said bracket and engaging said mounting means, yieldable means normally urging said needle and said actuator member to a rearward position relative to said bracket, and said means responsive to a predetermined amount of thread being wound on the package including means for imparting a forward movement to and then releasing said actuator member whereby a reciprocatory forward and rearward motion is imparted to said needle.

16. Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said traversing means comprises a traversing shaft spaced from and extending substantially parallel with said rotatable support, said needle supporting means comprising a guide bracket guidingly supporting said needle therein, a substantially circular sleeve having an eccentric bore therethrough loosely penetrated by said traversing shaft, said bracket being loosely mounted on said circular sleeve, an abutment on said bracket adapted to rest against the periphery of said package during the winding thereof, and means adjustably securing said bracket to said sleeve for permitting angular adjustment of said sleeve relative to said bracket and thereby adjustably varying the position of said needle relative to said rotatable support.

17. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said thread guide comprises an elongate pointed needle having a threadguiding eye adjacent its pointed end, and supporting means for maintaining said needle in an attitude substantially perpendicular to the axis of said rotatable support and including means to align said needle in substantially tangential relation to the periphery of said package upon said predetermined amount of thread being wound thereon, but wherein the pointed end of the needle will move along a chord line of the package closer to the axis of the package than the periphery of the package whereby the pointed end of the needle will pass between adjacent outer thread layers of the package during the thrusting thereof through the peripheral portion of the package.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3, 595,491 Dated July 27, 1971 Inventozfg) Archille O. Bourque It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, line 25, delete "U. S. Column 2, line 35, after "outer", insert -perIpheral--; Column 4, line 2, change "traversely" to --transversely--; same column, line 6'7,

after "direction" and before "thus", Insert ---and--. Column 5,

' same column,

line 16, change "counted" to --counter-. Column 7, line 2, change "and" to --an--; Column 9, line 27, change "sway" to --away--.

Signed and sealed this 8th day of February 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD J ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents USCOMM-DC 50376-P69 JRM PO 105O {IO-69 1: u 5, GOVERNMENT PRINTING orncs I969 o--3ss-3a4 

1. A method of forming a thread package from which the thread will not become unwound unintentionally during normal handling of the package, said method comprising guiding a thread through the eye of a pointed thread guide to a carrier while rotating the carrier to wind a number of layers of thread thereon to form a thread package, stopping rotation of the carrier, thrusting the pointed end of the thread guide and the thread carried thereby through a peripheral portion of the package to position a loop of the thread between outer thread layers of the wound package, and entirely withdrawing the pointed end of the thread guide from the package while leaving the loop of thread firmly tucked between the outer thread layers of the package.
 2. A method according to claim 1, which includes, concurrently with the steps of thrusting the thread guide through the peripheral portion of the package, passing that portion of the thread being carried by the guide along a groove in that surface of the guide facing toward the direction from which the thread is moving in its course to the thread guide so that the thread will not be clamped and thereby restrained from movement by the outer thread layers on the package during the passage of the pointed end of the thread guide through the peripheral portion of the package.
 3. A method according co claim 1, which includes maintaining the thread under predetermined tension in its course from a supply source through the guide during winding of the thread onto the carrier, and relieving the tension in the thread during the thrusting of the pointed end of the thread guide and the thread carried thereby through the peripheral portion of the package.
 4. A method according to claim 1, further comprising parting the thread at a point between the thread guide and the package following withdrawal of the thread guide from the package while leaving the thread extending through the thread guide to facilitate the winding of thread thereafter onto another carrier.
 5. A method according to claim 1, which includes moving the thread package with the loop of thread tucked therein away from the thread guide while causing the moving thread package to pull a length of thread through the thread guide following the withdrawal of the pointed end of the thread guide from the package, then parting the thread at a point between the thread guide and the thus moved package, then positioning another carrier adjacent the thread guide while retaining the end of the thread then extending from the thread guide against one end of said other carrier, and then rotating said other carrier to wind a number of layers of thread thereon to form a succeeding thread package.
 6. A method according to claIm 1, wherein the steps of thrusting and withdrawing the pointed end of the thread guide include moving the thread guide forwardly toward and rearwardly away from the thread package in a path substantially tangentially of the periphery of the package.
 7. A method of forming and tucking a loop of thread from a wound thread package between outer layers of thread on the package so that the thread will not become unwound unintentionally during normal handling of the package, said method comprising extending the thread from the package through the eye of a pointed elongate needle, then thrusting the pointed end of the needle and the thread carried thereby through a peripheral portion of the package to position a loop of the thread between outer thread layers of the wound package, and entirely withdrawing the pointed end of the needle from the package while leaving the loop of thread firmly tucked between the outer thread layers of the package.
 8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the needle is provided with a longitudinally extending groove therein extending rearwardly from the eye of the needle and away from the pointed end of the needle, the method further comprising positioning the needle so that its groove faces sway from the axis of the package before thrusting the pointed end of the needle through the peripheral portion of the package, and positioning the portion of the thread extending outwardly from the needle with respect to the package within the groove of the needle to shield the latter portion of the thread from the layers of thread as the pointed end of the needle is being thrust through and withdrawn from the thread package.
 9. Apparatus for forming a thread package from which thread will not become unwound unintentionally during normal handling of the package; said apparatus comprising a rotatable support for supporting a carrier, drive means for rotating said support and said carrier supported thereby, a thread guide having a pointed forward end and positioned for guiding thread therethrough from a source onto said carrier to wind a number of layers of thread thereon forming a thread package, means associated with said drive means for stopping rotation of said support and said carrier upon a predetermined amount of thread being wound on said carrier, and means for successively thrusting the pointed end of said thread guide through a peripheral portion of the thread package and for entirely withdrawing the pointed end of said thread guide from the thread package, the strokes of and the path of said thread guide during the thrusting and withdrawing of the same being such as to position and leave a loop of the thread firmly tucked between outer thread layers of the package.
 10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said thread guide is provided with an eye adjacent its pointed end for guiding the thread therethrough, said thread guide also having an elongate longitudinally extending groove in that surface of said guide facing away from the carrier and opposite from the direction of travel of the thread through said guide, said groove extending rearwardly from said eye of said guide, and the width and depth of said groove accommodating the thread therein while the pointed end of said guide is being thrust through and withdrawn from the package to prevent the thread from being clamped against said thread guide by the outer thread layers during movement of the pointed end of said guide between such outer thread layers.
 11. Apparatus according to claim 10, including tensioning means for applying tension to the thread between the source thereof and said thread guide during rotation of said support and the carrier, and means operatively associated with said means for thrusting and withdrawing said pointed end of said guide for relieving the thread from the tension applied by said tensioning means.
 12. Apparatus according to claim 9, including means for parting the thread at a point between said thread guide and said package following withdraWal of the pointed end of said guide from said package.
 13. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said thread guide comprises an elongate needle, means supporting said needle for longitudinal movement forwardly toward and rearwardly from said carrier and its package, traversing means for traversing said needle supporting means substantially parallel to said rotatable support, said means for stopping rotation of said support including means for stopping said traversing means, and said means for thrusting and withdrawing the pointed end of said thread guide including means responsive to said predetermined amount of thread being wound on said carrier for imparting a reciprocatory forward and rearward motion to said needle.
 14. Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said needle supporting means comprises a bracket in which said needle is guided for longitudinal movement therein, said means for imparting a longitudinal reciprocatory motion to said needle including actuator means operatively associated with said needle and movable relative to said bracket, and said responsive means including means for imparting a reciprocatory motion to said actuator means and thereby to move said needle forwardly and rearwardly in succession relative to the package.
 15. Apparatus according to claim 13, including a shaft positioned adjacent and extending substantially parallel with said rotatable support, said needle supporting means comprising a bracket pivotally mounted on said shaft and having abutment means thereon normally resting against the package being wound, means mounting said needle for longitudinal movement relative to said bracket, an actuator member movably mounted adjacent said bracket and engaging said mounting means, yieldable means normally urging said needle and said actuator member to a rearward position relative to said bracket, and said means responsive to a predetermined amount of thread being wound on the package including means for imparting a forward movement to and then releasing said actuator member whereby a reciprocatory forward and rearward motion is imparted to said needle.
 16. Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said traversing means comprises a traversing shaft spaced from and extending substantially parallel with said rotatable support, said needle supporting means comprising a guide bracket guidingly supporting said needle therein, a substantially circular sleeve having an eccentric bore therethrough loosely penetrated by said traversing shaft, said bracket being loosely mounted on said circular sleeve, an abutment on said bracket adapted to rest against the periphery of said package during the winding thereof, and means adjustably securing said bracket to said sleeve for permitting angular adjustment of said sleeve relative to said bracket and thereby adjustably varying the position of said needle relative to said rotatable support.
 17. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said thread guide comprises an elongate pointed needle having a thread-guiding eye adjacent its pointed end, and supporting means for maintaining said needle in an attitude substantially perpendicular to the axis of said rotatable support and including means to align said needle in substantially tangential relation to the periphery of said package upon said predetermined amount of thread being wound thereon, but wherein the pointed end of the needle will move along a chord line of the package closer to the axis of the package than the periphery of the package whereby the pointed end of the needle will pass between adjacent outer thread layers of the package during the thrusting thereof through the peripheral portion of the package. 